Main menu

Main content

Alert message

Possible Implications of Visual Impairment Upon The Sequence and Quality of Gross Motor Development

Milestone Sequence May Have Areas Of Unique Development.

Visual impairment may effect the specific sequence of gross motor milestone development. This is currently "under investigation" with Project PRISM.

As with all areas of development, the child with vision impairment should be regarded as an individual learner.

"On Schedule" Static Postures, Delayed Movement Postures

The rate of gross motor milestone development may be influenced by a visual impairment.

Milestone Comparison Chart **

SKILL

SIGHTED CHILD

BLIND CHILD

Number Of Months For Each Skill

Head lifted in prone

1

4

Elevates self on elbows in prone

4

8.75

Prone: forearm reaching for an object

3 - 5

9 - 12

Supine: rolls to prone

3 - 5

5 -9

Sits alone steadily

6 - 8

6 - 9

Raises from floor to sitting

8

11

Stands holding furniture

6 - 8

10 -16

Achieves four point crawling

9 - 11

13

Stands alone

11

13

Walks with one hand held

9 -11

16

Walks alone

12 -15

19

** - taken from literature, but should not be regarded as hard and fast data - most of this research has been done on children not receiving early intervention services that specifically target motor development from an NDT perspective.

Influence of low postural tone (hypotonia)

It has been theorized that the reason many babies who are visually impaired have low postural tone because of a lack of experience in the prone position which then denies them the needed proprioceptive stimulation for neuro-motor development. Another theory is that due to the lack of vision, the ability to utilize optical righting (righting head in alignment with visual horizon) is impaired. Without optical righting, . there is reduced motivation to move and turn the head. This dominos into a reduction of practice with head control which influences the muscles control development throughout the neck, shoulder girdle, and spine/trunk.

Reduced motivation to move out in space

vision is thought to be the primary incentive for movement

sound is not a pure substitute for the lure to move out in space

object permanency as it relates to the child who is visually impaired

child must have a concept of "the world out there" before s/he will know to move out into space

influence of the sequence of sound localization development – beginning at ear level, above ear level, below, and finally in front (use of stereo localization)

the process of sound localization is typically tutored by vision - which is not possible with the child who is blind

a poor base of support may reduce incentive to fight gravity and move out in space

Footer

DISCLAIMER: TSBVI provides external links solely for our users' information and convenience. When users select a link to an outside website, they are leaving the TSBVI site and are subject to the privacy limitations and policies of the owners/sponsors of that website. TSBVI cannot control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of information contained on a linked website. TSBVI does not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked websites, and does not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer. TSBVI cannot guarantee that outside websites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.